


/ / R O B B E R S / /

by SeraphStarshine



Category: The 1975 (Band)
Genre: Anal Sex, Drug Use, M/M, Mentions of Suicide, Robbers music video, Song Lyrics, basically this was my take on the Robbers music video and it somehow turned into a 15k word mess, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2016-11-29
Packaged: 2018-09-03 00:53:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8690248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeraphStarshine/pseuds/SeraphStarshine
Summary: "Are you scared?" Ross asked Matty after they pulled up in front of the small shop, his dark eyes seeking Matty's out as he leaned on the door in preparation.

  "No," Matty huffed, hoping that Ross didn't catch onto the falsity he could clearly hear in his own tone. "Maybe a bit nervous though."

  "You'll be fine, just remember the plan. I've got the gun, so I'll go for the register, you simply grab food, water, whatever you can take as quickly as you can. This shop should only have one employee at this hour, but keep an eye out for another coming from the back just in case."

  "Got it," Matty nodded, his heart thrumming against his ribcage as Ross threw the door to the van open hastily.

  Matty chased after Ross as the older man sprinted toward the corner store with long strides, his mind struggling to figure out how he had ended up here barely three weeks after running away from home.
Loosely based off of the song Robbers





	

**Author's Note:**

> Holy fuck this is a gay mess.
> 
> Honestly this took me forever to finish I'm so awful I started it months ago and then forgot about it which is not a good way to write believe me this is a bit all over the place and you can probably tell where I wrote it at different times but whatever it's done.
> 
> I attempted to relate this to the Robbers music video as much as I could but I ended up included a lot of backstory and probably fucked up on some details as well but just so you know that was my thought process going into this.
> 
> This ended up being over 15k words long and I am shit at editing anything of this length so if you notice any errors it would be lovely if you could point them out.
> 
> I'm so knackered from editing this I have nothing to say besides I hope you enjoyed this because it took me ages and it's not my best work but I'm quite fond of it.

**/ / R O B B E R S / /**

**_She had a face straight outta magazine_ **

Matty was lost, and afraid, and so desperately alone. His once fresh face was now tear-stained and grimy, his eyes were sunken in with exhaustion, and his lack of proper meals was showing on his already thin frame.

The thing he thought he craved most was now threatening to crush him, filling his aching limbs with an incessant shaking that refused to cease no matter how hard he tried to stop it. Matty had stupidly assumed that once he was alone and free of everything that had been wrong in his life, he would be fine, but now he was plagued by other demons that went by the names of hunger, and fatigue, and fear.

Matty sunk down onto a nearby curb, clutching the bottle of water he managed to nick from the Tesco across the street in his fist carefully. His hand trembled erratically as he struggled to open it, his eyes tearing up when the cap refused to budge despite his best efforts.

Frustrated and worn out, and probably also dehydrated as well, Matty gave up, dropping his head in between his knees when he was hit with an intense rush of dizziness, the new position putting strain on his damaged ribs that had him gasping in pain, but he was too exhausted to get back up again.

Matty didn't move even when a large off blue van pulled into the open space in front of him, his shoulders shuddering under the weight of the sobs he was attempting to choke back. He really didn't care if someone saw him in this state, it's not like they were going to give a fuck about him anyway, but he still hated appearing so weak in front of strangers.

Matty faintly registered the sound of a door being opened, as well as the accompanying sound of footsteps heading in his direction, but it was still a shock to him when a large hand touched his shoulder gently, snapping his head upward as he automatically flinched away in fear, his arms cradling his damaged torso in a protective gesture that he had learned didn't really prevent him from receiving an injury, but it was an instinctual motion by this point.

"Hey, it's okay," a deep voice broke through Matty's panicked state, allowing him to glance up briefly so he could observe the brown haired boy that was kneeling awkwardly beside him, "I'm not going to hurt you."

Matty nodded dumbly in response since he wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to this kind stranger, or even if he could form any words at the moment. He wasn't the sort of person to trust easily, but in his broken down state, he found himself gravitating toward the boy instantly since he had bothered to give him something other than a scathing glance or a soft sniff of disapproval.

"George - what the hell are you doing?" another man asked from inside the vehicle, but the boy named George ignored them, instead, turning his full attention to Matty which had him feeling both uncomfortable and pleased all at once.

"Are you alright?" George asked quietly, his palm still resting heavily on Matty's frail shoulder, allowing him to feel his muscles working as Matty shrugged helplessly, because he _wasn't_ , not even close, but he didn't understand why this random boy cared one way or the other. "Do you need a ride somewhere maybe?" George continued to press when Matty remained silent, the sincerity he could discern in his voice giving him the courage to attempt to answer him.

"No...got no place to stay," Matty admitted in a hoarse tone, his eyes welling with tears although he had been sure he'd cried himself out earlier. "I ran away."

"Where do you live?" George asked in the same gentle cadence, something about his presence leaving Matty at ease even though he'd avoided anyone who had seemed at all concerned about him so far in fear of them returning him back to his home if he told them what had happened, not that many people had.

"Manchester," Matty choked out, fear welling in his gut when he considered being made to go back there, but he was incapable of lying to this stranger for some reason he couldn't explain.

"Fuck...you know you're halfway to Liverpool now right?" George cursed, but he sounded more awed them upset really, which had Matty grinning softly when he learned of the distance he had managed to travel on his own two feet.

"George - hurry the fuck up or we're leaving you," the person inside the van yelled again, causing Matty to shrink in on himself in the hopes that the man's anger wouldn't be transferred toward him any time soon.

"Shut up Ross, can't you see he's hurt?" George called back, turning around completely so his voice could carry farther, giving Matty a chance to escape if he wanted to take it, but he wasn't all that inclined to flee just yet, not to mention his legs protested angrily at even the thought of any more movement.

"He's too young George, just leave him. If we pick up every lost boy you spot on the side of the street, we'll never be able to support ourselves."

"Just give me five more minutes," George sighed, shifting his body back in Matty's direction with an apologetic look on his face.

"Too young for what?" Matty asked nervously, his brain spinning rapidly as he tried to decipher why George had even bothered with speaking to him in the first place, a sequence of terrible scenarios flashing through his head before he quickly banished them, not wanting to think ill of George without being given a reason to.

"To take you with us," George answered slowly, his eyes scanning Matty's huddled frame rapidly as if he was anticipating him to bolt as soon as he spoke. "I saw you in town earlier, and then when we spotted you again, I felt like I should at least ask. I don't know what you've been through, but I can tell you're alone, and tired, and hungry, just like we all were at one point, and no one deserves to feel that way, so if you want, you can travel with us until you figure something else out."

"Why would you do that for me?" Matty dared to voice his query, because as much as he wanted to say yes and run into the warmth of the van despite the risk that came with trusting complete strangers, he had to understand George's intentions.

"Because you remind me of myself, and if I don't at least offer you a safe place to sleep, I know I'll regret it."

"I don't know," Matty croaked out, his mind tearing itself in two as he weighed the pros and cons of this unexpected situation.

Matty knew he needed to ask more questions before he even considered this, or maybe he should have started running long ago, but he was exhausted, and lonely, and desperate to stay in the presence of anyone who showed him even the smallest hint of kindness.

Matty was also afraid of what could happen to him if he placed his life in the hands of a boy he didn't know, but at the same time, could anything be worse than his current predicament? He wasn't going to survive for much longer on the streets, so really, he didn't have anything to lose.

"We aren't going to kidnap you or anything, and you can leave anytime you want, but Ross, my mate can bandage you up at least," George pressed just when Matty had been about to open his mouth to agree, his assurances solidifying Matty's decision even more, allowing him to pretend that this wasn't quite possibly the stupidest thing he had ever done.

"Yeah, alright," Matty nodded, his knees shaking as he attempted to stand up when George regained his feet, only for a sharp spike of pain to flair through his midsection, leaving him doubled over and groaning weakly.

"I've got you," George murmured, his arms carefully wrapping around Matty's frame as he lifted him upward, cradling him against his chest when Matty whimpered quietly.

And even though Matty might have been delirious at this point thanks to his injuries and lack of sustenance, at that moment, George appeared like an angel to him when the sun peeked out behind the dark clouds, highlighting his features with a soft glow that made Matty feel safe and protected, and for the first time in his life, Matty dared to hope that he might be okay.

**_God only knows but you'll never leave her_ **

Matty came back to himself in the confines of the van, surrounded by hushed voices and the comforting weight of George's arm wrapped around his shoulders. Matty wasn't sure how long he'd been oblivious to the outside world, but he didn't think it had been more than a few minutes given the fact that the van was still stopped and their surroundings didn't seem to have changed.

"You're an idiot George, he looks bloody thirteen. Your bleeding heart is going to get us all caught one day."

"I'll take full responsibility for him Adam, I swear...I just couldn't leave him out there. He needs us."

"No, what he needs is to go back home. I don't mind taking him, but we can't feed another mouth, not with how bad things have been going lately."

Matty tensed up at the mention of home, his spine going rigid and his eyes snapping open as he clung to George tightly. George noticed his frantic actions, but he didn't call any attention to Matty's alert state, instead he placed his hand over Matty's softly, rubbing his thumb across the back of his knuckles in a manner that Matty could only label as comforting.

"I don't see why you're being such a prick about this," George continued to argue as whoever was in the driver's seat started the car, Matty couldn't see them around George's body without moving, and he didn't want to shift from his current position in case the other men noticed he was now awake. "You took me in easily enough after all, so why is he any different?"

"Because you proved yourself to us, you helped us when we needed it, so we offered you an out as well. This kid isn't prepared for this life, he won't be able to cope, and the last thing we need is dead weight dragging us down," a deeper voice spoke up, his harsh tone scaring Matty so much that he began burrowing into George's side before he even realized what he was doing.

"Just give him a chance Ross, please?" George pleaded, his persistent attitude warming Matty's insides pleasantly, although he was still baffled why George was so adamant that he stay with them. "If it doesn't work, we will figure out another option, but he needs someone right now, just like I did back then."

"Fine," the one named Ross muttered, although he still didn't sound at all pleased about having Matty tag along. "We can talk about this later when we get to Sasha's, she said we could crash there for the night."

Matty wanted to stay awake so he could continue to listen in on their conversation, but George's nimble fingers had moved to his hair, softly stroking his messy curls away from his face in such a soothing manner that Matty quickly found himself drifting off again, his aches and pains and hunger was forgotten about in the warmth of George pressed against his side.

**_Her balaclava is starting to chafe_ **

The next time Matty's eyes opened, it was dark outside, and he appeared to be alone in the van which smelled strongly of weed and cigarette smoke, as well as the faint odor of what was possibly old fast food.

Matty rubbed his eyes groggily, taking care not to move too much in case he aggravated his sore ribs. His mouth was dry and his stomach was cramping with hunger, but Matty's immediate concern was discovering where George had gone off to.

Just when Matty was beginning to properly panic, the van door slid open, and as much as Matty hated to admit it, he breathed a sigh of relief when George squeezed himself inside quickly.

"You're up," George smiled, the simple expression doing something to Matty that he couldn't explain even if he wanted to. "Sorry I left you in here, I was just helping the boys set up inside and I didn't want to wake you until I had to."

"Thank you," Matty whispered quietly, his tongue licking across his dry lips as he tried to air one of the thousand questions he had fluttering around in his brain, but George opened his mouth again before he could pick where to start.

"Hey, can I have your name? I didn't get the chance to ask earlier."

"Oh yeah - I'm Matty."

"I like that, suits you well," George grinned as he stretched out his long legs. "I think you've probably already figured out that I'm George, the other two are Ross and Adam, Ross has the beard and Adam is the one who doesn't talk much and always insists on driving. I'll properly introduce you to them in a bit if you'd like."

"Why are you being so nice to me, it doesn't make sense," Matty blurted out when George reclined against his seat like he had all the time in the world, his heart racing in his chest as he waited for this perfect scenario to fall to pieces around him.

"Because you needed someone to be there for you," George explained like it was the simplest thing in the world, but it _wasn't_ , no one had ever cared for Matty, and as much as he wanted to believe that George really did, it seemed too farfetched to be true. "I've been where you are right now, or somewhere similar at least. I remember how angry I was, how alone, but then I found Adam and Ross, or they found me. Now I have a family, and I wanted to give you that opportunity as well. I know I might seem creepy, or weird, but I'm just trying to help you."

"I - I don't know what to say," Matty sniffed, his eyes welling up again thanks to George's sweet nature. "I - I'm scared, I mean, I must be mental to allow myself to be picked up by people I don't even know, but I can't go home either...he'll hurt me again - _fuck_ , I didn't mean to say that, please don't tell anyone," Matty babbled hurriedly, the pressure of holding everything inside becoming all too much for him as a few tears dripped down his cheeks.

"I won't, I swear," George promised, his tone calming Matty more than anything else, "but you can talk to me about it if you want. It'll stay between the four of us, or even just with me although I think Adam and Ross would warm up to you faster if they knew, and sometimes it helps to get things off your chest."

"And you won't send me back?" Matty asked again, his body instinctually shifting closer to George's, a few of the numerous walls he had built up inside himself falling into nothingness when George dragged him against his chest as if he knew what Matty was seeking. "I can't go, _please_...I can't take it anymore."

"I promise love, I'll protect you, no matter what happens."

And although Matty really should have known better than to trust George, he found himself spilling everything to him, from his mother's death, to his abusive father, to how he hadn't been able to stand it after the last beating, inspiring him to run away in the hopes of finding a better life, only to be met with starvation and loneliness instead of the freedom he'd been searching for.

George listened attentively the entire time, his face displaying no signs of pity or shock, just acceptance, which Matty craved more than anything at this point.

"You're alright now love, I've got you," George repeated his words from earlier when Matty dissolved into such heavy sobs that he was no longer able to continue, allowing Matty to bury his face in his shirt although his tears were soaking through the fabric steadily. "I'm so sorry you went through that, but you're safe now, I'll make sure of it."

**_And when she gets his gun he's begging, "Babe, stay, stay, stay, stay, stay."_ **

"So what do you all do exactly?" Matty asked quietly, his tone still hushed and nervous as Adam fixed him with a hard stare.

Matty had made his way inside eventually after his impromptu confession, only to be met by a sweet girl with dark hair named Sasha who had immediately set him up with a warm cup of tea and a hot meal, which almost had Matty crying all over again much to his chagrin.

George had disappeared with the other boys, and although Matty knew they were most likely talking about him since he'd given George permission to let them know why he couldn't go back home, he didn't even attempt to eavesdrop, he was too focused on shoveling as much chicken into his mouth as he could without choking to worry about anything else.

When George had returned with Adam and Ross in tow, they hadn't immediately said anything. Eventually, the silence had gotten too much for Matty, and after he had finished his plate, his curiosity had bubbled to the surface, eclipsing the soft spikes of fear that shot through him whenever he considered speaking to anyone that wasn't George.

Sasha had excused herself once she had made sure everyone was comfortable, fending off Matty's numerous thanks with a soft kiss to his cheek and a fond smile. Matty was stunned at her kindness, at _everyone's_ really, and he found himself wondering if he had stumbled upon a secret world where the occupants truly cared for each other and carried no ill will in their hearts.

"We live," Ross shrugged, his eyes dancing over to George who had slipped himself into the open space behind Matty on the sofa, ending with Matty practically in his lap since there wasn't all that much room in the first place. "We drive around and do whatever we like, we look out for each other, we steal to survive, we smoke, and drink, and just take each day as it comes."

"None of which you're probably old enough to do," Adam cut in harshly, his thinly veiled hostility causing Matty to shrink back against George's chest in the hopes of finding some form of comfort.

"I'm fifteen, I'll be sixteen in April," Matty huffed after briefly debating if he should lie about his age or not, but he decided to be honest in the end since George had promised that he would be safe with him no matter what, and Matty trusted his word, even if that made him seem ridiculously naïve.

"Huh," Adam scoffed, but he dropped his complaints for the time being, so Matty counted that as a win.

"Don't worry about Adam, he takes a while to get comfortable around new people," Ross smiled in a reassuring manner, the upturn of his lips seeming to be entirely genuine even though Matty knew he was still a bit skeptical of his presence as well, "and if George likes you, then I'm sure we will too. Now, do you want me to have a look at you? I'm not a proper doctor or anything, but I might be able to help patch you up a bit?"

"I - I'm sure I'll be fine," Matty protested, although his ribs did ache, but he doubted anything would help with that besides some painkillers and rest.

"Let him look love, you've been wincing all night," George urged him, and as silly as it was, Matty was already helpless to deny George anything, not after he'd saved him from the streets.

George gasped harshly as Matty carefully inched off his shirt, displaying the splotchy bruises that still hadn't faded away. It looked worse than it felt, but Matty was a bit surprised that his skin was so mottled almost a week after the injuries had been inflicted.

" _Fucking hell_ ," George cursed hotly, his eyes going wide and dark in a way that might have scared Matty if anyone else was donning that expression.

"Shit," Ross breathed out before shaking his head slowly. "Let me go get the first aid kit out of the van, I should have some wraps in there."

"This is why we can't send him back," George spoke up, his gaze locking onto Adam's who was staring at Matty with a sorrowful look in his eye.

"Please don't," Matty added on, his throat going hot and tight as Adam bit on his lower lip roughly. "If you don't want me around, that's fine, I'll find somewhere else to go, just not home."

"You can stay..." Adam finally agreed with a brief nod, his voice emitting a bit strangled as if he was trying to hide whatever emotions seeing Matty in this state had invoked in him. "I'm still skeptical about this, but I won't condone you to that again. George is right, you need a family, a proper one, and if you're willing to help us out, then you will always have a place here."

"Thank you," Matty whispered, his heart swelling in his chest when Adam graced him with a small smile.

And even though Matty was still scared and confused, for the first time in far too long, he felt safe here, and accepted, _wanted_ even, and he would do anything to keep experiencing those newfound sensations for as long as possible.

 ** _I'll give you one more time_**  
**_We'll give you one more fight_**

"George," Matty croaked out, fighting against his heavy lids which were trying to shut when he felt George shift on the air mattress they were sleeping on since Sasha only had one spare bed and Adam and Ross had already claimed it.

" _Hmm_..." George mumbled sleepily, his body stretching out before he lazily threw an arm over Matty's waist, causing Matty to flinch instinctually as his hand grazed his now bandaged ribs although his touch had been nothing but gentle.

"How do you end up here? Did you run away like me?"

"Not exactly," George sighed, some of the roughness to his voice fading slightly as he gave Matty his full attention. "It's late though, wouldn't you rather talk about this some other time?"

"You don't have to tell me," Matty backpedaled hurriedly, assuming he had crossed some sort of line, although it was hard for him to tell which questions were too invasive given his instant connection with George and how comfortable he already felt with him. "I just...I guess I'm confused how you three came to be, and I know you explained it to me a bit earlier, but this seems like a fairy tale, or a dream, and I'm so fucking scared that I'm going to wake up on the streets tomorrow, or worse, back in my bed, and I'll have imagined all of this."

"You won't love, this is real, and I know it's crazy, but I'm so proud of you for how well you're taking everything. You're strong, and now you're safe, and everything is going to get better."

"I just don't understand," Matty pouted despite the warmth George's words released inside of him, more to himself than to George, but now that he was given a moment to think over the events of the day, he was desperate for some sort of explanation as to how this all had happened. "I mean - why _me_? Adam said you've seen thousands of people on the streets before, and I just...you already had a family, so why bother risking everything by bringing me into the picture?"

"Honestly...I don't think I can explain it with words," George admitted, his statement drawing out slowly as if he was searching his head for a way to relay what was going on in his mind. "You aren't truly the first, we have taken in others for short periods of time, usually just to help them get back on their feet. We haven't in a while though, it's easier not to of course, but _fuck_ \- when I saw you, it was like something clicked. Part of it is what I said earlier, I saw myself in you, but that's not all of it. I couldn't stop thinking about you, and then when I noticed you again on the curb, I knew I had to ask. I don't really believe in fate, but I think you were meant to be found by us, and I just - there is something here right, like a connection? You can tell me to fuck off at any time, but it's like I've known you for years even though it's only been a day."

"No, you're right, I don't...really ever trust people, haven't in ages, but you make me feel safe. I don't know why, but I like it."

Matty could somehow sense George's smile although the room was too dark for him to properly see it, and when George tugged him closer and buried his face in his shoulder, he found that he was correct when he felt George's teeth pressing against his thin t-shirt.

"Good, I want you to feel safe all the time."

Matty opened his mouth to say something else, but he found that his queries didn't really matter anymore, not when he had George holding him so tightly, not with his hot breath tickling his neck gently, so despite his racing thoughts, Matty allowed his eyes to slip closed, his body automatically fitting against George's like they were made to do this.

 ** _Said one more lie_**  
**_Will I know you_**

Matty awoke with a start some time later. He wasn't sure of the hour, but it was still dark out, and thankfully no one else was up, meaning that Matty could hide the tears streaming down his face in the thin pillow he had been given by Sasha earlier.

Images of his father flashed across his mind even now that he was conscious, reminding him of everything that he had so narrowly escaped from, of his demons that he wasn't entirely sure would ever leave him in peace even now that he was on his own, and before Matty could stop himself, he was whimpering softly, his eyes stinging harshly as his brain attacked him with harmful memories that haunted both his waking and sleeping hours.

Matty tried his best to keep quiet, even though suppressing his sobs hurt his ribs, but his efforts were proven unsuccessfully when George shifted suddenly, his hands untangling themselves from the sheets before they pushed Matty's messy curls back from his face, revealing his red cheeks and glassy eyes to George's panicked gaze.

"What's wrong, what happened?" George asked in a harsh whisper, his gentle touch contrasting his sharp words, the juxtaposition leaving Matty even more emotional than he already was.

"Just - just a dream," Matty heaved out, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he realized how silly he sounded, how _young_ , but the brush of George's fingertips across his scalp lessened his mortification slightly. "I have nightmares, I'm sorry, I'll be fine, you can go back to sleep."

"Don't apologize to me," George murmured, his tone emerging much calmer than it had moments before. "It's alright love, I'm here. You can cry if you need to."

Matty took George's permission as a chance to touch him, curling his smaller frame against George's chest as sobs continued to wrack his body, his breath coming in harsh pants that had his ribs aching and his body shaking as George held him closely.

"You wanted to know how I ended up here yeah?" George asked, but before Matty could compose himself enough to answer, George was talking again. Matty recognized his attempt to distract him as what it was, and he was so incredibly grateful to George just then that he thought his heart might burst because of it.

"I was about your age I think, I've only been with Adam and Ross for a year or so now. I'm almost eighteen by the way, I don't think we ever really told you our ages. Ross is twenty-one, and Adam is nineteen."

Matty nodded soundlessly, a weak smile splitting his lips when he learned that George wasn't that much older than him. For some reason, Matty had assumed that he was at least in his twenties, maybe just because he seemed so composed compared to Matty, but he was glad to find that they were closer in age than he had originally assumed.

"I wasn't in nearly as bad a state as you, I was just a little shit mostly. I didn't go to college, couldn't be bothered, so I was left with too much time on my hands and an older brother who ended up getting me into a lot of trouble with him. I've got parents, they're separated though, and mum was never around, she pretty much left me and him on our own once we were old enough to fend for ourselves, and that was fine yeah, but I just - I was always so _angry_. I felt like my life was pointless, so I dove into drugs and parties and anything I could find to distract myself. I got arrested a few times, but my brother would bail me out so I wasn't there long enough to regret my actions."

"That sounds lonely," Matty spoke for the first time in what felt like years, his hand curling around George's wrist without any conscious thought on his part.

"It was, and it was stupid of me. I could have gone back to school, done something with my life, but I didn't know what I wanted, everything seemed so pointless. I tried to kill myself about a week before I took off with Adam and Ross actually, I just didn't care about anything anymore, didn't really see the appeal in living."

" _George_ ," Matty gasped, a few more tears slipping out of the corners of his eyes when he imagined a world in which George didn't exist, which was ridiculous since he'd only known George for a day, but the thought still filled him with a sharp pain that resonated throughout his body.

"Didn't work though obviously, just woke up in a pool of my own sick since no one even noticed I was gone. That was my lowest point, but it was as if some higher power knew that and gave me something to live for in the form of Adam and Ross."

"Thought you didn't believe in fate," Matty chuckled quietly, a soft sigh leaving his parted lips when George's fingers began rubbing at the back of his neck absentmindedly.

"Bit silly of me isn't it, it was like a miracle really. I was in a shop a few days later trying to nick some beer when Adam and Ross came in. I faintly remembered Adam, we'd gone to school together, but we were never close. He was quiet too, not that he isn't now, and all I knew about him was that he lived in a foster home. Anyway, I practically shit myself when Ross pulled out a gun and started robbing the place, just stood there in shock while Adam was grabbing things and Ross made the teller open the register. I don't know what I was thinking, but when another worker tried to call the police, I just - _acted_. I took his phone and threw it against the wall like I was in on the whole thing. I guess a part of me wanted to believe that Adam had a good reason for doing this, and it felt right to help him out, I don't know even now really. So when Adam and Ross turned to leave, they motioned for me to come with them, and I did. Never looked back, and I haven't regretted it to this day. They are the family I never had, they love me, and I love them, and although what we do might be a bit shitty, I've never felt more alive than I do now."

"I think you're strong too," Matty smiled as George's tale drew to a close, "and brave, and honestly, I'm really glad you did what you did, because if you hadn't, I would never have met you."

"Guess I should stop bashing fate since it's been so kind to me lately," George chuckled quietly, his hand never stopping its repetitive petting through Matty's curls.

"And Adam and Ross, how did they end up doing all of this?" Matty inquired, his sniffles fading away into nothing thanks to George's excellent distraction techniques which had allowed him to forget all about his nightmare.

"Now that's a story for another time," George grinned against the top of Matty's head. "Get some rest love."

**_Now if you never shoot, you'll never know_ **

"Are you scared?" Ross asked Matty after they pulled up in front of the small shop, his dark eyes seeking Matty's out as he leaned on the door in preparation.

"No," Matty huffed, hoping that Ross didn't catch onto the falsity he could clearly hear in his own tone. "Maybe a bit nervous though."

"You'll be fine, just remember the plan. I've got the gun, so I'll go for the register, you simply grab food, water, whatever you can take as quickly as you can. This shop should only have one employee at this hour, but keep an eye out for another coming from the back just in case."

"Got it," Matty nodded, his heart thrumming against his ribcage as Ross threw the door to the van open hastily.

Matty chased after Ross as the older man sprinted toward the corner store with long strides, his mind struggling to figure out how he had ended up here barely three weeks after running away from home.

But just like George, he didn't regret what he was about to do, at least not yet. He was simply proving himself to Adam and Ross now that his ribs were mostly healed and he'd shown no signs of fucking off like Adam had assumed he would, which meant he had to pull his own weight, and stealing was how they made their living.

Matty didn't really have a moral dilemma with this, although he probably should have, but as long as they didn't ask him to hurt anyone, he knew he could do this. The shop wouldn't suffer all that much, and they needed supplies and money to survive. He was only looking out for his new family after all, so his intentions were good if not his actions.

And as they burst through the glass doors like they owned the place, Matty felt a rush of something intense flowing through him. Maybe it was just adrenaline, but it was overpowering, filling him with courage, and purpose, and assurance as they shooed the one person inside out of the door, leaving Matty free to scrabble around and fill the small bag he'd brought with anything he could get his hands on as Ross collected the money from the teller who seemed to be complying easily.

And even after they had returned to the van, Matty was still thrumming with energy, his jubilation fueled by Ross's praise and George's broad smile as they all congratulated him on a job well done.

It was in that moment that Matty knew he was truly home, he had found a place where he belonged, where he was wanted, and safe, and maybe even loved.

**_And if you never eat, you'll never grow_ **

"George said you wanted to know our story, how we ended up here," Ross spoke up after a long stretch of silence as they drove somewhere new, the soft morning light chasing the van as they hurtled down the road with no real destination in mind, "and since you've been with us for almost two months, I think it's about time we told you."

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Matty answered, because although he was insanely curious, and he had asked George about this more than once, he still didn't know if it was his place.

"It's fine, you're family now," Ross grinned over his shoulder, rolling his eyes when he spotted George fast asleep in Matty's lap. "George was right about you, I'm really glad he picked you up."

"Not as glad as I am," Matty beamed, Ross's words meaning more to him than he could ever explain. Even after so long, he wasn't used to being accepted this easily by anyone who wasn't George, he was still the only one he completely trusted not to tire of him or hurt him, but he was growing closer to Adam and Ross by the day.

"You belong with us, which is why I think you deserve an explanation for all of this," Ross sighed under his breath, but before Matty could say anything, he was already speaking again. "Just so you know, we don't just get off on stealing, I mean - maybe now we do, it gives us all quite the rush except George, he seems impartial to it most of the time, but originally, we had to. We couldn't get proper jobs or anything like that because I'm a wanted man, well - we all are now, but I was first, and Adam's still technically missing I'm pretty sure."

Matty's eyes flicked away from Ross when George mumbled sleepily, his stringy hair which he'd recently attempted to dye blonde rubbing against Matty's hand as if asking for attention, inspiring Matty to run his fingers through it as he snapped his gaze back up to Ross when he continued talking.

"Adam was in foster care before all of this happened, I think George already told you that. I was too until I aged out, and it was shit for both of us. Still - I made it out mostly alright, but I always went back to check up on Adam, and one day...well let's just say he got transferred to a new home that I'd heard bad things about. They were fucking sickos who liked boys around Adam's age, god knows how they kept getting approved for children. When I found out, I snuck in and took off with him before they could hurt him. He was like my brother, still is, and I had to protect him. I was broke though, so as we were leaving town, I robbed the shop where we met George at. Adam knew George from school a bit, and he vouched for him, so we just went from there."

"That's - _fuck_ ," Matty cursed, his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth as he tried to find the words he was searching for. "I wish I had someone in my life like that."

"You do now," George mumbled thickly, his eyes opening blearily as he peered up at Matty with a look that he couldn't quite place, but he knew it left him dizzy and blushing.

"He's right, you're officially part of our family now," Adam added on, his statement cementing the acceptance Matty was currently basking in, and he knew that he'd remember this moment for the rest of his life.

**_You've got a pretty kind of dirty face_ **

Matty grinned up at George as he scooted back and forth on the skateboard he'd found recently, which was the reason for their impromptu stop at a park that Matty had spied on the edge of the road. Ross had complained of course, but when Adam had suggested they could all smoke up without having to worry about driving, Ross had easily given in.

Honestly, Matty had no idea how to properly skate, he had never really done it much as a child, but he was having a good time, or more so, he was enjoying the adoring smile that George kept shooting him whenever he glanced in his direction.

Matty was certain that he'd never get tired of George looking at him that way, even after becoming so accustomed to it. He'd been with his new family for quite some time now, maybe over six months, Matty wasn't entirely certain, but it felt like years and a few days all at once.

Time moved differently living this sort of life, but Matty knew his birthday had come and gone, which George of course hadn't forgotten about. He'd insisted that they throw Matty a ridiculous party full of cake and booze which had ended up with them all passed out in various awkward positions in the abandoned house they'd found to crash in for the night, and Matty couldn't remember having so much fun on his birthday since he was a child.

Matty was thriving now, or at least he felt like he was. Sure, he'd picked up a lot of bad habits, including cigarettes, and coke, and drinking whenever he could get his hand on a bottle, but he liked the way it made him feel. It was as if he was chasing the high that he got when he stole, and the only thing that eclipsed that was the feeling he got when he was around George.

Matty was beginning to think that he was a little bit in love with George, or possibly _a lot_. It had been confusing at first, he'd never really given much thought to his sexuality at all, and it didn't bother him that George was a boy, but he had assumed his feelings were more innocent in nature. George had saved him after all, he'd taken him away from the streets and provided him with the love and protection that Matty had been craving, so he'd thought that his adoration for George would wear off over time into simple friendship.

It hadn't though, not at all, in fact, quite the opposite had happened. Matty was completely smitten with George, it had reached the point where his stomach would flutter whenever George touched him, even if it was just a small brush of the hand. Matty wanted to say something to the older man, but he forced himself to keep quiet, too afraid of releasing tension in their relationship if George didn't feel the same way.

Matty continued to roll around clumsily on his board, his vaguely fluid motions constantly being interrupted as he tried to keep George within his line of vision. He appeared even prettier today than usual with the sun at his back and a spiff pressed against his lips, and eventually, Matty gave up on skating, deciding to plop down in George's lap instead, earning himself a friendly eye roll from the other man.

"You look ridiculous out there," George giggled airily, his free hand automatically gravitating toward Matty's hair that he'd pulled back in a bun to keep it out of his face. He'd recently shaved the sides in an attempt at some sort of punk look that he thought made him appear older, although George had teased him for it relentlessly afterward. "Should ask Adam to teach you how to skate, he's decent at it."

"Nah, I'm good here," Matty hummed, his eyes slipping shut as George began stroking through his locks soothingly. "We're going to hit up another shop tonight right?"

"Yeah that's the plan," George sighed, the sound emitting heavier than usual, inspiring Matty to peer up at George quizzically.

"You alright love?"

"Course," George shrugged, taking another hit on his spiff hurriedly before pressing it to Matty's lips so he could take a drag when he angled his torso upward. "Just worried I guess. You've been getting a bit... _bold_ , and I don't want you getting hurt or caught you know?"

"But that's the thing George, they can't catch us, and we're in and out so quickly that no one has time to do anything about it. They don't even know our names. We're like ghosts - we're nobody."

"You're everything to me," George blurted out suddenly, his cheeks going red as Matty choked on the smoke still residing in his lungs. "I'm sorry, I've just got a bad feeling in my gut, I'm sure I'm being silly."

" _Wait_ \- how did you mean that?" Matty asked as he pushed himself into a proper sitting position, his heart thudding heavily in his chest as he decided to take the plunge while he'd been given such a perfect opportunity.

"I - you know how," George evaded, his eyes dancing around nervously before finally landing back on Matty's upturned face. "I care about you, I always have, so don't act so surprised by that."

Matty nibbled on his bottom lip as his suppressed feeling welled inside of him, debating on if he should admit everything before he lost his courage completely and they were stuck forever in limbo, and honestly, with the way George was looking at him right now, Matty was convinced that George loved him too.

"And if I want more, if I think I might be in love with you?" Matty pressed, the world around him seeming to stop turning as he waited for George's answer, because _really_ , George was his whole world, and this moment could easily be the best or worst experience of his entire life.

"Then I'd say I'm in love with you as well, have been for a while," George grinned cheekily, his eyes sparkling brightly as Matty drew in a deep breath that his body was starving for since his lungs had ceased to function until just now, "and I'd add on that if you're only just now figuring that out then you're more of an idiot than I thought you were."

"Fucking hell," Matty chuckled as he dragged George's mouth down to his, their lips brushing against each other's tentatively until George pushed into his touch eagerly, kissing him hard and deep in a way that stole all of the newly acquired oxygen that Matty had just inhaled. "Been wanting to do that for months," Matty admitted when George pulled back so he could take the spiff from Matty's limp hand before he burned himself with it which he was in serious danger of doing since it was resting very close to the rip in the knee of his jeans.

George didn't answer with words, he simply took a drag from the blunt before connecting their mouths again, blowing the smoke against Matty's lips which he drew in eagerly, his body tingling from the weed, but mostly because of George.

"I've been thinking about kissing you for so long," George finally whispered, his tone sounding awed and almost reverent in nature, but before Matty could comment something like _'why didn't you then'_ , George was licking his way into his mouth, his wide hands lacing around the back of Matty's neck as their tongues stroked against each other's gently.

" _Finally_ ," Matty heard Ross call out from across the way, "took you both bloody long enough."

"Now we won't have to listen to George moaning about his feelings anymore, thank god," Adam tacked on, but Matty ignored them both, flipping them the middle finger as he pulled George closer, their breath mingling together as Matty melted against George's larger frame.

" _Shit_ ," Matty groaned when George leaned down so he could begin trailing kisses across Matty's neck, his teeth scraping over the slender column of Matty's throat in a manner that left him shivering and needy. "Can we go home?" Matty asked quietly, referring to the house they were staying in for now which belonged to a friend of Ross's. He was trying to sell it, but that wasn't working out for him, so he was letting them stay there until he got an offer on it.

"Robbery first remember?" George whispered against his skin, the hot puffs of air causing Matty's stomach to coil with heat as he pressed into George's lips eagerly.

"I'll make sure to nab condoms and lube," Matty smirked, a quiet moan escaping his mouth soon after when George chuckled roughly in the way of a response, burying the sound against Matty neck which left him lightheaded, and giggling, and so very in love.

**_And when she's leaving your home she's begging you, "Stay, stay, stay, stay, stay."_ **

Matty all but dragged George into their shared bedroom when they returned from the heist, which had gone perfectly despite George's odd feeling from earlier. Matty was giddy on adrenaline, and drugs, and George, his body desperate for more than the kisses they hadn't been able to stop sharing even after they'd gotten in the van.

"You sure you want to do this?" George asked when Matty stripped quickly before he began tugging at George's shirt, wanting to have his skin against his as soon as possible.

"Yeah - _fuck_ , please George, been wanting this," Matty all but begged, his head fuzzy with lust and need now that George was finally his to touch, and kiss, and love with all of his heart.

"Have you been with a bloke before?" George asked, his eyes widening a bit when Matty shook his head no. Matty wanted to laugh, because the few times they had brought someone back to where they were staying, almost everyone knew about it by morning, so surely George would have noticed if he had a boy in his bed the next day, but the sound got trapped in Matty's throat when George kicked off his trousers and pants, revealing his hard cock which looked so much bigger than Matty remembered it to be the few times he'd accidentally caught sight of George as he stepped out of the shower.

George kissed Matty then, successfully distracting him while backing him up against the bed at the same time. Matty went with him willingly, his body automatically letting George lead him where he wanted him, his spine arching as George added to the dark bruises that already littered his neck and collarbone.

Matty whimpered quietly when George pulled away, but he returned quickly enough with the bottle of lube Matty had stolen and a condom. Matty's blood rushed lower as George began slicking up his fingers, his legs instinctually spreading around George as he tried to calm his erratic breathing.

"Let me know if I need to stop at any time." George waited for Matty's nod of understanding before leaning over to kiss him again, rubbing his wet fingers over his hole at the same time.

Matty gasped into George's mouth, the simple touch setting his nerves into overdrive and leaving him desperate for more. George didn't tease him for long though, making sure to keep his movements slow and controlled as he opened up Matty carefully, moving from one, to two, to three fingers even after Matty swore he was ready.

Matty was covered in sweat and strung so tightly he wasn't sure how much longer he could stop himself from coming when George finally removed his fingers. His cock was hard and leaking all over his stomach, his muscles clenching down on nothing after being so full only moments before.

Once George had slipped the condom on and gotten it slick, he leaned over Matty, his weight comforting him while at the same time teasing him as the blunt head of his cock pressed against his damp hole.

"I love you," George whispered against Matty's mouth, the soft words calming Matty briefly, inspiring him to drag George down for a fierce kiss that left his lips feeling bruised and swollen.

"Please?" Matty asked quietly, his hips tilting forward weakly when George didn't immediately move, the overwhelming importance of the moment leaving Matty tongue-tied and love drunk as George began to press inside of him slowly.

Matty didn't really register the pain, although there was some, but all he could feel was the hot drag of George inside of him, and the soft moans that were falling from George's lips as Matty cried out noisily, but most of all, he focused on the intense connection radiating from their joined bodies, and when he allowed his mind to remember how they had gotten here, Matty found himself on the verge of tears even as George began moving inside of him.

George might not believe in fate, but Matty did, how else could he explain George's presence in his life? He went from a hellish existence to being with the one person who loved him with everything he had, he was cherished now, and adored, and _fuck_ \- Matty would gladly take a thousand more beatings from his father if it meant that he got to be with George in the end.

Matty came quickly once George found his prostate, his eyes squeezing shut as he clung to George so roughly he was sure he left finger-shaped bruises behind on his shoulders. George kissed him through his orgasm, holding him tightly as he followed Matty over the edge with a soft groan that he muffled with Matty's mouth.

And when Matty curled up against George's warm side once he had cleaned them both up, he realized that he never wanted this snapshot in time to end. He wished he could stay here forever with nothing but George, because he couldn't imagine himself ever being happier than he was right now.

 ** _I'll give you one more time_**  
**_We'll give you one more fight_**

George took Matty out to the cinema the next day, demanding that they go on a proper date now that they were officially together, and of course, Matty was physically incapable of refusing George anything, not that he would ever say no to a date with George.

Matty couldn't stop giggling once they left the house, his black shirt which he'd failed to button in favor of showing off the bruises decorating his skin blowing around him as he grabbed George's hand eagerly, reveling in being able to do this without second-guessing himself at every step.

George grinned back at him happily, his eyes glittering in the dull light as Matty all but pranced in front of him, his joy manifesting itself in his restlessness and his eternal smile.

Matty didn't even bother to listen as George purchased their tickets, meaning that he was clueless as to what film they were actually watching, but he didn't really care either way. If he was being honest with himself, he'd probably end up staring at George for most of the night no matter what they were seeing, he was much more fascinating than any movie ever made.

Matty did stop to get a small popcorn when they passed by the counter, remembering how much he used to love the buttery snack as a child, getting a soda as well when George asked for one. Matty almost spilled half of the bucket in his hurry to get to their seats, earning himself an affectionate huff from George as he threw himself across the plush cushions.

"Did you take a line before we left?" George chuckled when Matty continued to bounce around even now that he was confined to a chair, his eyes drinking in everything as they waited for the movie to start.

"No actually, I'm just happy," Matty grinned, "I've never been on a date before, _hell_ \- I can't even remember the last time I was in a cinema."

"Glad I suggested this then," George smiled back before leaning over to steal a quick kiss from Matty just as the lights went down and the trailers began to play.

Matty grew bored with the movie quickly, but he managed to entertain himself in other ways which mostly involved pestering George constantly even after being shushed by him numerous times which only ended with Matty pulling George's sunglasses down over his eyes in retaliation.

George finally got Matty to calm down when he pulled out a small container that Matty knew he kept his coke in, allowing Matty to suck some of it off his finger so he could watch the rest of the film in peace, which Matty was more than happy to comply with, although he was a bit shocked by the fact that he was getting more of a rush from nibbling on George's hand than the drugs.

Finally, the film ended, allowing Matty the freedom to move, which he desperately needed now that his gums were slightly numb and he was thrumming with energy. George let Matty drag him out of the cinema without protest, his large strides easily keeping up with his springy steps as they emerged into the cool night air, and Matty found himself a bit disappointed when he saw that the sun had already set.

"Did you have a good time love?" George asked when Matty continued to stare at the last fading dredges of color that painted the sky, the soft pinks and dark blues fascinating him for some reason that he couldn't quite explain. "Sorry if you didn't like the film much, you can pick next time."

"Shut up," Matty smirked, turning his gaze away from the horizon so he could look at George instead, knowing that no matter what movie they watched he would have been distracted by George either way. "It was a lovely date," Matty promised him as he grabbed his hand, tucking himself up against George as he began to sway from side to side.

"Yeah?" George hummed, following Matty's movements until they were practically slow dancing in the street, leaving Matty grinning happily as he rested his face on George's chest.

"It was perfect."

 ** _Said one more line_**  
**_Be a riot, cause I know you_**

The highlight of Matty's week besides finally admitting his feelings to George came when Adam uncovered a karaoke machine in the house they were staying in, which of course meant that Matty had to put it to good use as soon as possible.

Matty hooked it up the next evening, making sure everything worked as he took sips from a bottle of liquor intermittently. They were all staying in for the night since they had a good stock of booze and they didn't need to go on another heist anytime soon, and Matty was going to make the most of this house while he still could.

George simply groaned when he came out of the bedroom and saw Matty fiddling with the machine, a secret smile tugging at his lips as he went to grab a beer before he sat down next to Matty who had just gotten the device to turn on.

"Are you serious Matty?"

"Yes, I'm going to serenade you all tonight, and it'll be wonderful, just you watch. See - I've even got a little stage set up and everything." Matty gestured to the random assortment of furniture he had pushed together into what resembled a platform, pride infusing his tone although George didn't seem all that impressed.

"You are the most ridiculous person I've ever met," George chuckled throatily, leaning over to give Matty a kiss when he pouted his bottom lip out obnoxiously.

"But you love me right?"

"Always," George promised, whispering the word against Matty's skin before standing up again, "but I do know I am going to need to be high for this. Don't tell me Ross has smoked all the weed already?"

"Don't think so," Matty muttered as he fiddled with the numerous dials and colored buttons, causing George to flinch when the microphone began squeaking obnoxiously. "Want to grab us a spiff?"

"Don't feel up to moving," George groaned, digging in his pockets as if he hoped to find some forgotten weed there, emerging with a crumpled packet of cigarettes instead. "This okay?"

"That works," Matty shrugged, snagging the least crushed looking one quickly and lighting it before he hit the play button on the karaoke machine, hopping onto the stage with the mic grabbed in his free hand.

"Do you even know the words to this?" George chuckled lightly as a vaguely familiar song began to flow through the shitty speakers, the title of which Matty couldn't remember if he had ever even known it.

George's body followed Matty upward until he was leaning against the edge of the raised area with a look on his face that Matty could only label as adoration, causing Matty to become momentarily distracted until he realized that George was waiting on his response.

"Nah, but that's alright, I can improvise," Matty grinned, his mouth continuing to twitch happily as he hummed for a bit before singing whatever nonsense popped into his head.

Matty got quite into his performance as he danced along to the tune enthusiastically while belting what he hoped were close to the right lyrics although he hadn't heard this song in years, he even tumbled off the edge of the stage at one point much to George's amusement when he got caught up in George's laughter and forgot to watch his footing.

"You're awful," George scoffed when Matty held the mic out to him, ignoring Matty's pleading expression entirely as he pushed his lips against the metal teasingly.

"But you love me," Matty retorted cheekily, his heart swelling in his chest when George moved the microphone out of the way so he could brush his fingers against Matty's cheek.

"I do, I'm bloody head over heels for you," George admitted quietly, his breath ghosting across Matty's face in a way that made it impossible for Matty not to lean down and kiss him until their lips were both red and swollen.

**_Well, now that you've got your gun_ **

Matty made another discovery in the house not long after the initial finding of the karaoke machine that was debatably just as interesting in the form of a small revolver.

He'd seen guns before, of course he had, but Ross was very protective of his, and he'd never really let Matty use it.

Matty immediately rushed into his bedroom once he'd uncovered it, his head spinning slightly thanks to the line he had recently snorted and the bottle of vodka which he still had clutched in his fist, but his dizziness cleared as soon as he spied George curled up on the windowsill smoking idly.

"Look what I found," Matty exclaimed, pushing his way into the small open space as he held out his prize with shaking fingers. "It's loaded and everything."

"Where the hell did you get that?" George asked warily, his eyes widening slightly when Matty brandished the weapon carelessly in his direction.

"In the garage," Matty answered quickly, his smile falling slightly when George frowned at him. "I think it was made for me - see, it fits my hand perfectly. Do you think Ross would let me take the lead on our next robbery? I know I'd be good at it, and I'm tired of being the baggage boy."

"I don't like that idea," George immediately shot him down, but Matty was stubborn, and he knew George always caved to his will eventually, he just had to be persistent. This was something he'd been wanting to inquire about for quite some time actually, and now that he had his own gun, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to take a larger role in their heists.

"Oh come one - I'd be great at it, watch," Matty insisted, pointing the gun at George teasingly as he spoke.

"Fuck off Matty, this isn't funny," George snapped harshly, pushing Matty away from him gently, but Matty wasn't done pressing his point.

"Open up the till," Matty growled playfully, "give me all of your money."

"Seriously Matty, fucking _stop_ ," George yelled, causing Matty to freeze in his tracks when George backed away with a panicked look on his face. "You're acting mental, pointing a fucking loaded gun at me, I just - I don't like this, _any_ of this."

" _Oh_..." Matty exhaled heavily, his face visibly falling as he sat back down heavily. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Well you did - just...can we drop this?" George asked quietly, his expression still holding a fearful cast that Matty hated to know that he'd put there.

"Yeah - whatever," Matty shrugged, his head drooping slightly as George continued to stand there stiffly.

"I'm going to get something to eat, don't hurt yourself with that," George muttered before leaving the room quickly, and although Matty wanted to protest, to apologize, to ask if they were actually fighting or not, he did none of those things.

Matty shouldn't have acted so stupidly, but he'd been excited, and he wanted to share that with George. Still - he could have guessed that George would have reacted in that fashion, he'd been even more protective of him now that they were together than he previously was, which Matty had thought was impossible, but lately he'd gone so far as to try and take Matty's place during most of their robberies, which Matty was less than pleased with, to say the least.

Matty knew George was worried about him, but it wasn't fair to leave him out all of the time. He wanted to help with their heists, otherwise he wouldn't feel like he was contributing at all, not to mention he thrived off of the rush he got from participating, which he had told George the last time he'd asked Ross if they could trade out, but apparently George was still resistant to put Matty in harm's way even though he did it himself quite often.

When the door closed behind George, Matty aimed the gun at it, pretending to shoot at the physical barrier that was separating him from George. When he realized how silly he looked, he slumped down with a tired sigh, pressing the gun against his lips for a few moments before setting it on the windowsill and picking up his abandoned bottle of liquor instead, drowning his disappointments and frustrations in alcohol since that was much easier than making himself face George at the moment.

**_It's much harder now the police have come_ **

Matty found himself in the bathroom of a small diner they'd decided to eat breakfast at since their supply of food was running low the next day, his nose tingling thanks to the line he'd just snorted with the hope that it would give him the courage he needed to talk to George.

George was still cross at him for the stunt he'd pulled with the gun yesterday, he'd barely muttered three words to him since last night, and although Matty thought George was throwing too much of a fit about it, he hated when George was upset with him, and he was going to make this right.

Matty unfolded the napkin he'd snagged from the table before he had ducked away, taking an old pen from the pocket of his torn jeans which he used to scribble a few lines across the rough fabric.

_I love you_

_You're everything_

_I'm sorry_

His apology idea was a bit silly, but George was nothing if not a romantic, and Matty hoped that this would break the air of tension that had been hovering around them, allowing him the opening he needed to earn George's forgiveness.

Matty took a deep breath before exiting the toilets, his eyes immediately gravitating toward George who was sitting alone in a booth at the back. Adam and Ross had sensed the hostility sparking between them immediately and had chosen to go off on their own, not that Matty blamed them, although he sort of wished he had them here to act as a buffer in case George decided to yell at him again.

Matty made his way to where George was seated quickly, hoping to get this over with before he lost his nerve completely, which was bound to happen soon given the way his heart was already stuttering in his chest. He slipped into the booth wordlessly, the sleeve of his shirt slipping down his shoulder as he pushed the napkin across the smooth table, keeping his eyes trained downward so he wouldn't have to see George's reaction just yet.

George retrieved his note without asking what it was, his large hands unfolding the flimsy fabric quickly as Matty began picking at his food that George must have ordered for him while he was in the loo.

Matty dared a short peek at him after the silence seemed to stretch on for ages, and when he spied a small smile breaking out across George's face, he knew that they were going to be all right.

"I really am sorry," Matty spoke up before George could say anything, his fingers tangling with George's as he leaned over the table. "I shouldn't have joked around like that, not that I was fibbing about wanting to lead a robbery, but I was acting stupid, and that wasn't the way I should have asked."

"I'm sorry too," George murmured quietly, "I overreacted because I was scared of you getting hurt, and I sort of panicked. It's fine though, I'm not cross at you anymore, and if you want to try your hand at stealing from the till, I'm sure Ross would be alright with it."

"Really?" Matty gasped excitedly, his hand tightening around George's as he tried to refrain from bouncing in his seat like an excited child.

"Yeah, I want you safe, but I also want you happy, and if it's something you actually want to have a go at, we can work it out."

"I love you," Matty grinned, the prospect of taking a more active role in their robberies leaving him giddy and affectionate as he got out of the booth only so he could plop down next to George, giving him the freedom to place a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

"I love you too, but I'm also hungry, so scoot over a bit so I can eat before this goes cold," George chuckled as he elbowed Matty in the side teasingly.

By the time they left the diner, Matty was pleasantly full, not to mention a bit high, the sensations erasing all effects of their short fight as if it had never happened, and Matty was more than happy to remove it from his memory entirely, because having George not speaking to him had been debatably more painful than the worst of his father's beatings.

**_Now I'll shoot him if it's what you ask_ **

"I think maybe we should consider doing something else for a living," George suggested one day out of the blue, his words shocking Matty so much that he choked on the smoke he had just inhaled into his lungs.

"What do you mean?" Matty gasped when he could speak again. "How else would we survive? We're all wanted now, Adam and I are missing technically, and if we settled down or get proper jobs, it would only be a matter of time before someone recognized us."

"I know, but there are ways to work around that. We could make new identities for ourselves, or even just fake ID's, something - _anything_."

"Where the hell is this coming from George?" Matty asked, his brain reeling as he tried to understand what had changed in George that had him wanting to leave behind the only life that Matty had ever truly enjoyed.

"It's just - it's not that I don't like this, but things are different now I guess. I look ahead and I don't want to be robbing shops for the next ten years, I don't think we'll make it that long without getting caught anyway. We've had an amazing streak of luck, but it's going to end eventually. I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt, or Adam, or Ross, and I think we should look at our other options before it's too late."

"Have you spoken to either of them about this?" Matty sighed when George shook his head no, taking another hit from the spiff before passing it to George who waved it away without even looking at it. "I understand that you're worried, but we'll be fine George, we always are."

"We aren't invincible Matty," George argued back, his tone taking on that stubborn cast that meant he was truly serious, and although Matty didn't want this to devolve into a proper spat, he was a bit too high to deal with all of this at the moment.

"Is this because Ross is letting me take the lead tomorrow, because if it is, I thought you were fine with it?" Matty threw back haughtily, his body curling in on itself a bit until he was leaning over the edge of the bed, removing himself as far away from George as he could without actually getting up.

"No - maybe, _fuck_...I don't know."

"I'm not backing out of this," Matty scoffed, taking another drag of his spiff to punctuate the end of his sentence.

"I didn't think you were, and I'm not trying to make you. This is just me talking, because I want you to know what goes on in my head. I need you to understand that you're the most important thing in the world to me, and I want you safe, and cared for, and happy."

"But I am all of those things, you make me feel that way every day."

George didn't respond with words, but he did scoot down the length of the mattress before draping his limbs over Matty's frame, tugging him closer until Matty was pressed against his chest tightly.

Matty knew George was still mulling things over in his mind, but he didn't ask him about it, instead, he simply accepted the soft kisses George began placing on the back of his neck and congratulated himself on avoiding another confrontation.

 ** _But if you just take off your mask_**  
**_You'd find out everything's gone wrong._**

"Are you sure you're ready?" Ross asked Matty for the thousandth time in the past few minutes, his eyes skating over his bare torso as if he could see signs of Matty's uncertainty on his skin.

"Yes," Matty repeated again, tugging at the edges of his floral shirt as George hovered nervously beside him.

George's only condition for allowing Matty to lead the robbery today had been that he was the one who went in with him, which Matty hadn't protested at all, in fact, he preferred it that way. George may have been aggravating lately with his obnoxious overprotective streak, but there was no one Matty trusted to watch his back more than him.

"Remember to make it quick," Ross continued to talk, his seat making a soft noise as he twisted around so he could see Matty better. "There is only one truck out front, so you most likely won't have to worry about any customers interrupting you, but don't focus on them. Leave everything else to George, just get the money and get out."

"You're acting like this is the first time I've ever done this," Matty scoffed, his hands shaking slightly as he traced a fingertip along the revolver that Ross had allowed him to keep after testing that it worked and making sure that Matty could shoot it properly.

"It's different when you're the one with the gun, believe me," Ross sighed heavily, his gaze darting over to George for a brief moment before he turned back around. "You can do this though as long as you keep a level head."

"I will," Matty promised, his spine pushing into the palm of George's hand which he had placed on Matty's back in a reassuring manner. "Can we go?"

"Yeah."

When Adam gave them a quick nod as well, Matty pulled open the door to the van, fitting the black bandana he'd found over his mouth to complete his persona. George had told him he'd looked ridiculous when he had modeled it for him earlier, but Matty quite liked the way it made him feel like a proper robber.

Just when Matty was about to begin crossing the deserted parking lot leading to the small shop, George gripped onto his hand tightly, turning Matty to face him before tugging him in for a brief kiss, his lips feeling soft and warm even through the fabric separating them.

"I love you," George whispered against his mouth, his statement almost getting lost in Matty's gasp for air.

"Love you more," Matty grinned although George couldn't see it, the adrenaline he always felt during a robbery flowing through his system as they began to walk at a brisk pace, the sensation amplified a thousand times more than it usually was thanks to the gun in his hand and the phantom pressure of George's lips on his.

Matty couldn't keep the smile off his face when they broke into a run just before they reached the door, his numb fingers fumbling with the gun he had tucked into the waistband of his tight jeans as they burst inside.

Matty could barely focus on his surrounding at first, he was filled with so much energy he thought it might cause him to burst if he didn't expel it soon, but with a supreme effort of will, he managed to lock eyes with the teller who was staring at him in shock.

"Just make this easy for us and open the till," Matty ordered sharply, the authority in his tone surprising him as he leveled the gun at the man, not daring to look behind him to make sure that George was handling things no matter how tempting it was to check that he was still there.

Matty didn't have time to react when the teller ducked down behind the counter, yelling something that Matty couldn't quite catch before emerging with what Matty thought was a shotgun which he immediately aimed in his direction.

In his panic, Matty accidentally fired one bullet without consciously deciding to do so, the harsh pop assaulting his eardrums, drowning out his following scream for George when the man squeezed the trigger, releasing two more loud bangs that had Matty wanting to cover his ears and cower away, although his body was paralyzed and completely incapable of any sort of movement.

**_Now everybody's dead_ **

Matty wasn't exactly sure what happened next, all he knew was that someone - _George_ dragged him out of the shop before the teller could reload, his strong hands keeping Matty on his feet even when he stumbled and tripped over his boots.

They pushed through the door again with the soft jingling of the bell chasing them, the sound contrasting the recent gunfire so strongly that Matty was tempted to point it out, but when he tried to open his mouth to speak, he was hit with a wave of pain instead, leaving him doubled over in the parking lot as his hand instinctually went to his side which was damp with blood.

" _Fuck_ ," Matty groaned, his eyes watering as he tried to keep moving, but his knees almost gave out on him, only George's strong hold keeping him upright for a little bit longer.

"Matty, oh my god - it's okay love, you're alright, the van's here," George was muttering frantically, his touch remaining gentle even as he hauled Matty inside the doors with such speed that it left Matty feeling dizzy and slightly sick. " _Go_!" George yelled as soon as they were safely inside, his voice emerging cracked and so inundated with fear that Matty found himself tearing up, although that might have been from the pain as well.

"What the bloody hell happened?" Ross gasped as Adam rocketed out of the parking lot, the motion causing Matty to whimper when it jostled his body harshly.

"Teller had a fucking gun, he got a shot off on Matty. The bullet grazed him I think, but _fuck_ \- I knew I shouldn't have let him do this, this is all my fault."

"Shut up George, we can toss blame at each other later, but for now, you've got to stop the bleeding," Ross ordered, his words sounding far away and muffled to Matty as he tried to find a more comfortable position to lie in.

"Yeah, alright," George whispered frantically, his breath coming in sharp pants that sounded louder to Matty than the blood rushing through his ears.

" _Fuck_ ," Matty sobbed when he felt something pressing against his wound, his spine arching upward in an attempt to escape the pain, his eyes falling shut as his head spun and his stomach roiled violently.

"I'm sorry love, I know it hurts, but I'm just trying to help."

"Give him some weed," Adam suggested, passing his spiff to Ross who pressed it against Matty's lips when he leaned over, eager for anything that might help him escape the agony he was currently in.

George's free hand wrapped around his chest protectively, allowing Matty to balance his weight on him so he didn't have to work so hard to keep himself upright. Matty only managed a few puffs on the blunt before he collapsed back downward with tears rolling across his cheeks as he tried to avoid looking at his wound for as long as possible.

"You alright Matty? We're almost home, do you think you can make it?" Ross asked when Matty whimpered quietly, his tone radiating concern, but not panic, which Matty assumed meant he wasn't going to die anytime soon.

"Yeah - just hurts," Matty groaned softly, turning his head so he could bury it in George's shoulder when they hit a particularly bumpy stretch of road.

"I'm so sorry Matty," George choked out, his lips grazing across the crown of Matty's head as he held him close, continuing to apply pressure to his wound the entire time.

"Don't apologize, I was the one who wanted to do this."

"But if you'd never gotten involved with us, you wouldn't be hurt at all," George reminded him, and of course, that was the farthest thing from the truth, but Matty was too exhausted and achy to tell George just how wrong he was.

**_And they're driving past my old school_ **

George's statement was a lie, of course it was. _Fuck_ \- Matty might not even be alive if it wasn't for him, if he hadn't found him when he did.

Sometimes Matty forgot about his old life now that he was so immersed in his new one, but as he tried to ignore the hot spikes of pain shooting through his body, he allowed himself to recall the younger version of himself who was afraid of everything, who hid his bruises underneath countless layers even in July, of the boy who didn't think he was worthy of anything, especially not love.

That Matty wasn't anywhere near safe, or happy, or all of the things that George always said he wanted for him. He was miserable, and alone, and _yes_ \- Matty might have gotten hurt on this trip, but that didn't mean that it was George's fault.

If anything, it was his own. Matty loved the rush of stealing, of feeling powerful for a few moments when he had never imagined he could scare anyone into giving him anything no matter how hard he tried, which was most likely caused by baggage he was still carrying after suffering under his father's abuse for so long, but maybe that wasn't really important either.

Matty didn't really want to hurt anyone, he just wanted people to respect him, and _yes_ , the thrill was nice, but now that Matty was truly looking back at what he had done, he realized that he had shot at someone, that he could have killed a man over a few hundred dollars, and that wasn't the sort of person he wanted to be, no thrill was worth that.

George was important though, he was the most important thing in Matty's life, and it was stupid of him not to listen to him before now. Matty knew this robbery had been a fluke, and he would most likely be fine if he wanted to try again, but when he met George's gaze briefly and saw how shattered he looked, Matty realized that he would do anything to make sure George didn't have to go through this a second time.

Maybe George was right all along, perhaps they could find something else to do with their lives. Matty wasn't entirely certain how that would work yet, but he did know that he never wanted to see George in this state again, because it hurt even more than the gunshot wound did.

Matty was tired of scaring George, and now that he was allowing himself to view his own actions with unclouded eyes, he understood George's stroppy attitude lately. He wasn't being unrealistic or dramatic, he was just trying to protect Matty, and from now on, he was going to let him.

**_He's got his gun, he's got his suit on_ **

"I'm okay," Matty whispered when he heard George sniffle quietly, "I'm sorry I made you go along with this, I won't do it again."

"We're here," Adam spoke up before George could respond, but he did press a swift kiss to Matty's lips while he helped him out of the van, his eyes darting around everywhere as he looked for anyone who might have followed them.

" _Shit_ , he's still bleeding a lot," Ross cursed when Matty almost fell again, one of his hands holding onto his wound while the other clenched around the gun he had yet to let go of, "get him inside, we need to patch him up fast."

George immediately wrapped his arm around Matty's shoulders again, avoiding his waist while still giving him something to lean against as they both stumbled inside. Matty grimaced as he tripped heading up the stairs, his bloody palm splaying out against the wall to stop his descent, leaving a grisly handprint that was going to be a pain in the arse to get rid of later.

"Can - I think I need to sit down," Matty gasped weakly once they were through the door, his body tilting forward even in George's supportive grip, his vision going frighteningly dark for a moment as his side throbbed painfully.

George helped him over to a nearby kitchen chair which Matty collapsed onto gratefully, but his ungraceful movements hurt more than he anticipated, causing him to scream softly as a sudden rush of agony flared through his body.

"Not there - _fuck_ , he'll get blood all over everything, my mate's going to kill me," Ross groaned. "Take him in the bathroom, I've got to dig out the first aid kit, clean him up the best you can yeah?"

"Fuck off Ross, your mate can suck my cock." Matty meant to laugh at George's statement, but it came out as more of a pained croak instead. "Can you make it Matty?" George asked softly while Ross continued to grumble quietly, his hands fluttering by his sides as he waited for his short nod before pulling him to his feet as smoothly as he could manage without touching his wound.

 ** _She says, "Babe, you look so cool, you look so cool, you look so coo-o-o-oo-oo-ool._**  
**_You look so cool, you look so cool, you look so coo-o-o-oo-oo-ool."_**

"George," Matty gasped when his head stopped spinning for a brief moment. George had somehow managed to get him up on the bathroom sink, and he was dabbing at his side carefully with a cloth although Matty couldn't remember the journey to the toilets all that well.

"You're alright love, the wound isn't deep, it just looks nasty, but Ross will stitch you up soon."

Matty shook his head weakly, trying to find the words that he wanted to say so desperately. He had to tell George that he meant more to him than stealing, than the rush he got from a robbery, or _anything_ really, and if it made George happy, he was willing to try and find another way to survive. He'd do whatever it took as long as they were together, but his thoughts refused to untangle themselves from his brain, so he chose the simpler option instead.

"I love you," Matty whispered, some of his pain receding when George paused his motions to look Matty squarely in the eye.

Matty didn't give George a chance to return his sentiment before he was clasping his face in his bloodstained hands and pulling him in for a kiss, drowning everything else out in the movement of George's lips against his, because he knew George loved him, he didn't need to hear it again.

George seemed to understand everything Matty had failed to say aloud when they both broke apart given the fact that he seemed noticeably calmer. The frantic look had disappeared from his eyes, now they were simply filled with love and concern, both of which Matty would never tire of receiving from him.

"I love you too, I'm so sorry this happened to you."

"It's fine, you were right you know?" Matty attempted to clarify his thoughts before Ross interrupted his pain induced epiphany. "Maybe we shouldn't keep doing this, it is a bit dangerous after all."

"Yeah? You'd really consider that?"

"Seems like the smart thing to do, although you might not be as attracted to me if I get a normal job, not nearly as dashing as the whole robber thing," Matty giggled, something about the way George was smiling at him releasing a bubble of mirth inside his stomach that outweighed his pain by a large margin.

"Oh fuck off, you know nothing you do could make me think less of you, and anything that doesn't involve guns has suddenly become much more attractive to me right now."

"So what do you say, want to see if we can change our names and settle down properly, we can try and make a go at living a normal life?"

"That sounds good babe - _perfect_ actually," George grinned, his eyes sparkling happily as he kissed Matty quickly seconds before Ross came barging into the room.

"Cool," Matty smiled back, his adrenaline rush from earlier now replaced by the excitement of what might await him and George in the future.

Maybe they could get their own place, somewhere that was completely theirs, perhaps they could even adopt a pet or two eventually, but no matter what happened, Matty had George, and that was really all that mattered, so he was going to stop taking advantage of the gift fate had given him and enjoy every moment he possibly could with the man he loved more than anything in the entire world.

 

 


End file.
